Ford decision due in 2014

Senior executive says Ford Australia's manufacturing future will be decided within two years.

November 29 2012

Jonathan Hawley

Production of the Ford Falcon is expected to be halted by 2016.

The decision on Ford's manufacturing future in Australia can be stretched for another two years, according to the company's second most senior executive.

Mark Fields - who becomes Ford's global chief operating officer from next week and has been tipped to eventually take over as chief executive - said at the Los Angeles motor show that no decision had been made to end production of cars in Australia and that the company had two years to decide whether or not to drop the axe.

“In the next couple of years we can make those kind of decisions, which gives us a bit of lead time,” he said.

That may mean operations in the company's Geelong and Broadmeadows plants in Victoria can continue, although Ford is remaining tight-lipped about what cars may be produced.

Ford has committed to an updated version of the struggling Falcon large car, but its days are numbered as Ford moves to global designs.

Related Content

“I think we have made an announcement recently about investing in some next-generation products in our operations down in Broadmeadows and we have investments in place for 2014 for vehicles from 2016,” Fields said.

“We don't have anything else to share now, but I think that's a pretty good approbation of our presence in Australia.”

The future of the Australian car industry is a hot topic in light of the strong Australian dollar and emphasis on other industries such as mining.